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Pismo Beach Uncovered

Inside information on living in Pismo Beach.

By Susan Haynes

Setting: In San Luis Obispo County, Pismo Beach enjoys a
location convenient to numerous other cities, waterfronts, and
inland destinations. San Luis Obispo ("SLO") and California
Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) lie 11 miles northeast.
It's a 90-minute drive south to Santa Barbara and roughly three and
a half hours to San Francisco or Los Angeles.

Attractions: Ample beach access for waterfront activities
defines this place. Winter and summer temperatures average 42 and
81 degrees, respectively. An active newcomers' club and advocacy
organizations attest to community spirit. Produce from the inland
Central Valley is endlessly fresh and bountiful.

Drawbacks: Real estate prices continue to rise. Shopping for
high-end items is limited. Those seeking fine restaurants have
some, but not many, choices. Most head to SLO for theater and the
arts.

Housing Options: Residents may choose among a fairly wide
range of styles and landscapes, from funky beach shack or
high-ceiling Mediterranean to condo or ranch style. The Shell Beach
neighborhood offers pristine oceanfront properties. In the hills
overlooking Pismo Beach and the Pacific, some Arroyo Grande
residents enjoy panoramic views. Reasonable home prices in Grover
Beach and Oceano make up for their more aesthetically mundane real
estate.

What It Costs: Availability of homes here is limited. "A
nearly 3,600-square-foot clifftop house recently closed at $4
million," says broker Lenny Jones. "Median home price is $500,000.
That will get you a 1,600-square-foot, 30-year-old house, no water
view." Expect a median price of $650,000 for a water-view
condo.

Your Next-door Neighbors: A Cal Poly professor; a biplane
aviator; retired farmers from the Central Valley; Pismo Bob, who
owns the hardware store; a schoolteacher who walks his
trick-performing, potbellied pig; an actor from the Great American
Melodrama & Vaudeville; a high-tech entrepreneur.